Hallo Wazmei,
Thanks for the tips on finding our old German homeplace. I live in
Orangeburg, SC. I'm 45 miles from the Family History Center in
Columbia. I have been on a week visit with my daughter in Pittsburgh.
As soon as the dust settles again I'll get over to the FHC and see what
I can find.
While in Pittsburgh we thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the Heinz History
Center (museum). I was surprised to see a log book laid open in one
of the German displays. I copied it, but not word for word:
1784 FIRST REGIMENT BY CONGRESS
-----*-----*---- of the first 1765 - 1789 over 75% of the 759 men
who joined the First Regiment in 1784 were artisans or some skilled
workers, only 20% were farmers. *-----*-----*---
Capt. DAVID ZEIGLER'S COMPANY (note the "ei")
----*-----*---
53 Henry Fisher, Germany,
54 John Zeigler, Germany, Laborer, Age 27, 5' -7", Brown Hair,
Brown Complexion, Enlisted 1 Nov. Philadelphia, 3 years, with Capt.
Zeigler
Many veterans later settled in western Pennsylvania.
[Gift of Elizabeth B. M. Denny]
I note with interest that Capt. Zeigler spelled his name "ei" as our
family does. Most Zieglers in Pennsylvania spell their name "ie" as
it is presently spelled in Germany. There are five different spellings of
Seigler in South Carolina. Three here in Orangeburg today. I am now
convinced it is a matter of individual choice. Our G-G-G grandfather,
Michael Zeigler spelled it "ei". His brother, Jacob Zeagler, spelled it
"ea". Both were well educated men as most of the Germans from
Wurttemberg were.
I am going to guess that this Capt. David Zeigler is the same David
Zeigler who became Mayor and civic leader of Cincinnati. This would
be typical of the enlistees making use of their traveling in the militia to
find a better place to settle. I hope someone on the LIST can confirm
that this Capt. David Zeigler and the mayor of Cincinnati are one and
the same.
Best regards, Bob H. ___
Robert D. Hemphill
2779 Hillcrest Street, NE
Orangeburg, SC 29118
Phone 803-534-6056
<rdhemphill(a)oburg.net>
Wazmei(a)aol.com wrote:
1. since you have the city in Germany-and if the family was of the
Lutheran
faith you can try the church of latter day saints. there are over 200
research centers in the U. S there you can look in the microfiche for
Germany-then State of wutt then the cities you are after. if you find the
cities you will see a listing of church records by births, deaths and
marriages for certain years. if you know (for example that an ancestor was
born in city x-in 1753) then find that city and year and order the microfilm.
on that roll will be church records that could go back to 1527. mine stopped
in 1620 due to the thirty years war. if you can't find a research city near
you or don't know where to look-tell me the city/state you live and I'll find
out from mine, as there is a research center in my town-Fairborn, Ohio.
2. about this country-have you tried the census records for the states?
3. do not recognize the cities or names you have in your note.
-hope this helps.
let me know if there are other questions.